Mechanical pencil



July 4, 1933. G. c. MoRRlss MECHANICAL. PENCIL Filed March 15 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inn" d HF.. n.

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mi L ATTORN EY July 4, 1933. G. c. MoRRl'ss 1,917,144

. MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed March 15.1952 .2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1933 PATENT oFFlc'E Gnovnn c. Monmss, oF AUSTIN, TEXAS MECHANICAL PENCIL Application led March 15, 1932. Serial No. 598,995.

My invention is a mechanical pencil of the type in which a lead of small diameter is prope led through atip by suitable means, and in which the pencil contains a supply of such leads.

Among the objects of my present invention is the provision of a mechanical pencil whose body or barrel is so shaped that the front end through which the lead is projected is of a greater weight than the rear end of the said barrel and in which ythe lead is projected through the tip of the barrel but not at the axial center of the barrel so that the pencil can be more conveniently gripped by the operator, better balanced and used with less fatigue than ordinary types of pencils; one in which the lead is positively fed out of or retracted into the barrel to determined extents and positively held in any of its positions; one`in which the chuck or lead holder is engaged by and released from a screw plunger in a new and novel manner; one in which the barrel has arranged therein a cylindrical body of the barrel, and which magazine has yarranged in the chambers thereof lead sticks preferably of different colors, each of which being engaged by a chuck and which cylinder is rotated and held in alinement with a screw plunger that is revoluble in the barrel and which carries gripping jaws to engage with the chuck for the lead, and as a whole to produce an automatic or mechanical pencil of a simple and novel construction which will perform its functions with ease and with accuracy. y

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined-to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be madetherefrom as do not affect vthe spirit of the inventi-on nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an approximately longitudinal sectional view through one form of my invention.

yFigure 2 is a side elevation with parts in 55 section showing the plunger moved from gripping engagement with the chuck for one of the leadsticks and the spring influenced door or cover swung to open position to allow the cylinder to be rotated to bring its cham- 60.

ber containing another lead stick in aposition to be engaged by the plunger.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view looking toward the rear end of the device and illustrating the cover in open position as disclosed by Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a plan view, with parts in section, to illustrate the manner in which the gripping jaws at the ends of the plunger ena e with the ball head on the inner end of magazine journaled between the tip end and g g the lead holder or chuck.

- Figure 7 is a front end view of the barrel with the tip removed.

Figure'S is an approximately central longitudinal sectional view through another formv of the improvement. 30

Figure 9 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 10 is a front end view of a barrel with the tip removed.

ln both forms of my improvement the barrels 1 and 1* are of a substantially similar 35 construction. The barrels are round in cross section having reduced front ends 2 which are exteriorly threaded. The barrels, fromV their said front ends are gradually tapered from their sides and under face to the rear end thereof. This particular shape and construction of the barrels permits of the pencil i being more eectively gripped by the operator and also performs another and important function which will hereinafter be fully set forth. e l Referring now particularly to the construction disclosed by Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings it will be noted that the barrel 1 is provided, at its rear end with' a round longi- 100 tudinally extend ing bore 3, the bore being parallel with the upper side of the pene-1l. In the bore 3 there is arranged a tubular sleeve 4 that is of a length less than that of the bore. The sleeve is provided with two opposite, longitudinal guide slots 5, open only at the forward end.v Near the rear ends of these slots, there are two spaced notches 6 on the right hand side respectively, or clockwise, of each slot. The sleeve 4 is formed with rearwardly extending and .preferably diverging fingers 7 that enter a peripherally knurled cap member 8 and may be secured therein by a pin 9. The rear end of the barrel 1 1s formed with a reduced portion 10 which is received in the bore of the cap 8.

Movable through the sleeve 4 there is a screw plunger 11. The plunger, adjacent one of its ends, is formed with outwardly extending lugs 12, and these lugs ridethrough the slots 5 when the screw plunger 1s moved longitudinally by the turning of the cap 8. This is accomplished by a dog-pomted setscrew member 12 that is passed through the side of the barrel 1 and which has a nonthreaded end 13 that is received in the grooved portion of the plunger 11. The plunger for a portion of its length is non-threaded, as at 14, and this non-threaded portion 1s provided with an annular .enlargement or head 15 from which extends oppositely arranged spring fingers 16 that have inwardly s ubstantially V-shaped projections 17 at their ends. The spring lingers and their inwardly extending portions or lugs 17 provide jaws. Screwed on the threaded end 2 of the barrel 1 is the enlarged end of a tapered tip 18 that has a bore 19 in alinement with the bore 3 and has a restricted round opening 20 between the bore and the outer truncated end of the tip.

The forward half of the barrel is provided with a comparatively large cylindrical bore or opening, in which there is a magazine cylinder 21. The cylinder has its end centrally formed with trunnions 22 which are received in suitable bearing openings in the inner end of the enlarged bore in the rear end of the tip 18. The cylinder 21 is provided with any desired number of chambers 23 which are equidstantly spaced from the axis thereof so that each may be selectively brought into registry with bore 3 above described. In the showing of the drawings the cylinder is provided with four chambers 23, and in each of these chambers there is received the cylindrical body of a lead holder or chuck. Each chuck 24 has at one of its ends split tubular projections to afford jaws 25 desi ed to receive and to grip therebetween lead sticks 26. At the other end the body of the chuck is formed with a screw thread of a single turn 27, and from the outer end of the screw there is extended a tapered portion that provides the neck 28 of head 29. At the opposite sides of the head 29 there is extended from the threaded end of the chuck flat spring arms 30 whose inner faces have their ends. beveled, as at 31. The spring members or jaws 30 on the lead holders or chucks serve as guides for the aws 16 on the plunger screws to permit of the inwardly extending lugs 17 on the'said jaws to gripping engage with the inwardly inclined neck and inner face of the heads 19 and the heads are snugly received between the lugs of said jaws 16. Thus the turning of the cap 18 will impart a longitudinal movement to the plunger and to the lead carrying member or chuck to cause the lead stick to project through the tip 5 or to retract the lead stick into the chamber of the magazine if desired. This, of course, is only accomplished when the chamber is brought to aline with the bore 3. Each chamber 23 is provided with a single turn thread 32 to engage with the single turn thread 27 on the chuck 24 to hold all of the chuck except the one engaged by the jaw end of the plunger from movement in their respective chambers, and these coengagin single threads 32 and 27 also perform anot er important function which will presently be apparent. The inner end of the magazine cylinder 21 is peripherally knurled, as at 33, and is rovided, in a line with the center of each o the chambers 23, with a notch 34. The lower tapered side of the barrel 1 is provided with an opening 35 to communicate with the knurled end 33 of the cylinder, and communicating with the opening there is a notch or depression 36 in one of whose walls there is fixed one end of an arched spring 38, the other end of the spring contacting with the lug 38, adjacent the pivot 39 of a cover member 40 for the opening 35. To cover member carries a lug 41 to be received in any one ofthe notches 34, and thus hold the cylinder 21 from rotation. When the cover 40 is swung to open position a finger of the operator is passed through the opening 35 to engage with the knurled surface 33 and revolve the cylinder to bring any of its chamber in a line with the bore 3. This, however, cannot be accomplished as long as the plunger screw is in any of the chambers ofthe cylinder or when the lead stick is projected through the tip 18.

In order to replace the lead in use by one from the magazine, the cap is rotated in a direction reversely to that for projecting the lead stick. This causes the screw plunger to be brought into the sleeve a sufficient distanceso that the lugs on the plunger will be received in the notches 6 in the sleeve. This also causes the screw plunger to ride off of the end 13 of the pin or screw 12, so that the cap can be moved outwardl with respect to the barrel and bring the ead 15 on the non-threaded end 14 of the plunger against the pin 13 as disclosed by Figure 2 of the drawings. The cover 40 is swung to open position, and the operator as heretofore de- -in alinement with the bore 3. The capk 8 is moved inwardly or against the reduced end of the barrel 1 which brings the jaws 16 on the end of the plunger to coengagement with the jaws of the chuck in aline therewith and likewise brings the pin 13 to a position to slot 5 in the sleeve 4, and this operation will cause the screw plunger to turn the lead stickv carrier to bring its thread out of engagement with the single thread in the bore or chamber of the cylinder 21, thus permitting the .lead stick to be projected to desired extents through the opening 20 in the tip 18.

By this operation it will be noted that any one of the leads'in the several bores or chambers of the cylinder may be brought into registering engagement with the lead projecting means of the improvement, and obviously the turning of the cap 8 in a reverse direction will draw a projected lead stick into the bore 3 of the tip so that the entire stick may be used before replacement. To replace the lead stick it is merely-necessary to unscrew the tip 18 from the barrel 1 and then to propel the lead forward out of the bore.

In Figures 8 to 10 the construction is similar to that previously described, with the .exception that I dispense with the magazine chamber and provide the barrel from its outer widened end with a pocket 41 for lead sticks. Also in this construction the lead holding member or chuck 42 is preferably in tegrally formed on the outer. end of the screw plunger 43, and the shoulder 44 aforded between the chuck and the plunger affords a stop element to be engaged by the non-threaded end of the pin or screw 45 to hold the plunger in its fully retracted position as when a new lead stick is to be arranged in the chuck or holder 43 and this, of course, will be accomplished only after the removal of the tip .end 46 from the barrel 1.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of my improvement will beunderstood and appreciated by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates so that further detailed description will not be required. v

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A mechanical pencil comprising a barrel, a substantially frustoconical tip remov- 65 ably secured on one end of the barrel, a cap be received between the threads of the screw revoluble and'longitudinall slidable on the l other end of the barrel, sai ca barrel and tip having alining bores extendlng from the axial center of the cap, a tubular'sleeve secured to the cap arranged ,in the bore in the barrel and said sleeve being slotted from its free end and provided with notches that commun-icate with the slot, ascrew plunger "within said sleeve having-'lu s received in vthe slot and also adapted to j received in' the ngtches of the sleeve, a pin member caryried by the barrel engaged between-the 4threads lof the plunger, lead stick engaging means on the outer end of the lunger, and said means providing a shoul er which is adapted to contact with the pin when the plunger is moved into the sleeve a sufficient distance to bring its lugs opposite the notches of the sleeve.

2. In a magazine pencil, a barrel, a frustoconical tip. removably screwed on one end thereof, a cap member mounted for rotation and also for an outward longitudinal movement on the other end of the barrel, and said barrel and tip having registering bores in, a line with the axial center of the cap, a sleeve which is centrally slotted and whlch is provided with notches that communicate with the slot arranged in the bore'of the barrel and secured to the cap, a screw plunger in the sleeve and normally projecting therefrom, a pin carried by the barrel to engage with the threads of the plunger, spring jaws on theouter end of the plunger, a cylindrical magazine centrally journaled between the barrel and tip and concealed in the barrel and said cylinder having chambers therethrough, said cylinder also having a knurled end provided with notches disposed opposite the respective chambers, a lead holding chuck in each chamber and each of said chambers and each of said chucks having single turn coengagingj threads for holding the chucks in said chambers, each of said chucks having a head on its near` end and having spring lingers disposed at opposite sides of the said head, said barrel having an opening to communicate with the knurled and notched end of the cylinder, to permit insertion of the finger of an operator for turning the cylinder to bring any of its chambers in line with the bore of the barrel and tip, a pivotally supported spring iniiuenced closure for the opening having a lug to engage with a notch in the chamber, the jaws on the plunger being adapted to coengage with the head and to be gripped by the spring fingers on the chuck after the cap has beenA turned in a reverse direction to cause the plunger to be screwed into the sleeve, and to bring the jaws thereof opposite the notches to permit of a slight turning of the cap for bringing said jaws into said notches to allow the cap to be moved outwardly to bring the jaw end of the screw plungerinto contact with the pin.

in the bore of the barrel, a removable pin engaging the threads of the plunger, means operable from the exterior of the barrel, for imparting a turning and longitudinal movement to the plunger and means on the plunger to releasably engage With the lead holding means in the chamber alining with the bore of the barrel to advance or to retract the lead holding means.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

GROVER c. Moamss. 

